An old proverb asks, "How do you lead a horse to water?" then answers, "With lots of carrots." Animals and people often need an incentive or hope of a reward as an encouragement toward action. Even though our actions themselves may be rewarding, a pleasant bonus at the end provides an additional inducement. When we have to give an extra effort or even endure unpleasantness, keeping our eye on the prize helps us persevere.
Parents, teachers, and employers often plan incentives to learn and do a good job. Bonus points and cash back programs are used by merchants and credit card companies. Many religions promote the ultimate reward of eternal life. What greater incentive is that!
Lots of carrots are dangled in front of us. Some are designed to help us; others are designed to manipulate or control our behavior. Sometimes, we need to design our own carrots to give us incentive and reward for accomplishing goals.
No comments:
Post a Comment